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Council Visitor Center
The Visitor Center in Council in located in an old Forest Service
Building. It is operated
by the Council Chamber of Commerce
in conjunction
with the
US Forest Service.
Easily
accessible off Dartmouth Street and US Highway 95, the old ranger
station is an ideal site to disseminate
information to the traveling public. There is also internet
access available. Please
call 208-253-6830 for more information.
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Council Visitor Center
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The
ranger station was built on land purchased from the Pacific
and Idaho Northern Railroad Company and looks very much
as it did when constructed in 1933. It was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
It
consists of five frame buildings, good examples of structures
constructed
by the Civilian Conservation Corps for the Forest Service
between 1933 and 1936. The CCC also landscaped the property
with ponderosa pine, alder and spruce trees, juniper
and dogwood shrubs, and rose bushes along the sidewalks.
Once
the district office, the frame construction is covered
by shiplap siding and tin roofing with a concrete double-hung
windows and a centrally located brick chimney. The
architecture is distinctive and consistent with the simple
frame construction
painted white with green trim.
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| Places
to Visit |
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A.O. Huntly Historic
Barn
[National Register of Historic Places]
Adams County possesses one of the largest barns of its period
in Idaho. It stands in spacious meadows surrounded by forest
at the intersection of the road that leads to Cuprum and the
Kleinshmidt Grade. A.O. Huntley operated a ranch starting in
the 1880s, later grubstaking miners who went on to discover
the gold, that kicked off the Thunder Mountain gold rush.
With
his proceeds, he built this substantial barn as well as
a magnificent Queen Anne residence. The residence, unfortunately,
burned
to the ground in the 1930s. Privately owned and listed
on the National Register of Historic Places, the A.O. Huntley
barn
is a board and batten three-story structure with a steep
gambrel roof. Over 100 feet long and 40 feet wide it sits
on a raised
concrete foundation and once housed cattle. The two upper
floors are open and were used for hay storage with small
hay door
openings in the gables at each end.
The
barn, although sturdy, is in need of repair. The roof is
greatly deteriorated
and
must be re-roofed in the near future if the barn is to
survive. This is a major architectural landmark at a
key intersection
in rural Adams County.
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Kleinshmidt Grade
A real adventure in the Council area is entering the
Snake River Canyon via the Kleinshmidt Grade.
It
is said that the grade has one of the largest elevation
drops in the shortest road distance in North America. The
22-mile roadwork was begun in 1890, and completed
in 1891.
Albert
Kleinshmidt who had purchased shares in the area mines
planned and
built the road to reach from his mines to the ferry on
the Snake
River, where he was confident boats could be relied upon
to transport his ore to the railroad at Old
Ferry, near Weiser.
Unfortunately, the steamboat "Norma", built for
the purpose, failed to meet the need and along with poor
copper
prices and economic turndowns, mining operations stalled.
German visitors often seek out this unique site.
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Council Valley Museum
The museum is open to the public from Memorial Day Weekend
through Labor Day daily from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm,
Tuesdays
through Saturdays, and 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays.
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Mesa Orchards
Some of the largest apple and peach orchards in the West were
once found in the Council region. Located seven miles south
of Council, Mesa was home to one of the largest individually
owned and operated apple orchards in the world.
On
the rolling hills were 1,200 acres, which in harvest time
demanded a crew
of six hundred. The orchard was equipped with two
huge cellars and an elaborate irrigation system that brought
water
over the hills by means of a network of siphons and flumes.
A unique feature was the electrically operated tramway.
As fast as the fruit was packed, it was conveyed over the
tram
to the railroad, a distance of 4 miles. The fragrance of
this orchard in bloom is said to have drenched the air
for miles.
Other fruit growing areas can be found east of Council.
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Seven Devils Mountains
Council is the gateway to the Seven Devils, with a short
drive displaying their ruggedness, color, grandeur, and depth.
This
range, the eastern skyline of the deepest canyon in North
America - Hells Canyon, runs almost 40 miles between the
Snake and Little Salmon rivers.
Upon the flanks are at least 32 lakes and 7,900 feet below
the highest summit, He Devil Peak, the Snake River forms
the boundary between Idaho and Oregon. The range takes its
name
from seven serrated peaks, which stand in a semicircle.
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Weiser River Trail
The Weiser River Trail (Rails to Trails) is one of the first
long-distance mountain biking trails in Idaho. With
wooden trestles,
wildlife
and river country,
the trail spans desert canyons, farmlands, forests and meadows.
The extensive trail offers a variety of experiences for hikers,
bicyclists, equestrians, cross-country skiers,bird watchers,
and other outdoor enthusiasts.
The
trail is operated by the Friends of the Weiser River Trail,
a non-profit corporation established in 1997,
to get the railroad corridor rail banked for recreational
use. Its mission is to preserve the integrity of the rail
corridor,
manage it as a public trail, and conserve the natural habitats
along its length. The trail extends 84 miles from Weiser
to Ricon, near New Meadows.
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